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“How did it all go down?” Bones asks.

After I describe the night, leaving out the whole my-dick’s-as-hard-as-stone part, I tell them my plan. “She’s supposed to come work for me tomorrow night at the club. I think we should let her. See if we can figure out why she’s there.”

“You could just ask her,” Fang says.

“If a Vasquez’s lips are moving, they’re lying,” Tank says.

“He’s right,” Vapor says. “We can’t believe anything she says. Do we really want her at the club when we don’t know why she’s there?”

“If we kick her out right away, we’ll never know. Isn’t it better to bring your enemies closer to find out what they’re up to?” I ask.

“That’s a possible option,” Diablo says.

“You have another idea?” Vapor shifts his gaze to him.

“Take her to our warehouse. Interrogate her until she breaks.”

“That’s the way we’d usually do it,” Bones says, agreeing with him. “Are we avoiding that because she’s a chick?”

“Or because she’s a hot piece of ass?” Tank asks.

“Don’t let Vicki hear you say that.” Fang snorts.

“That’s not it at all,” I protest. “I just think we should tread carefully. This is the first time we’ve had direct contact with anyone in the immediate family. Don’t you want to know why she wants a job as a stripper, of all things?”

“Yeah, why not a bartender at one of our bars?” Bones asks.

“Or try to become a club girl like that FBI agent chick did in the Montana chapter,” Tank says.

“Not sure,” I admit.

“I’m with Ice,” Vapor says slowly. “He’s right about keeping her close. At least until we find out what she’s after.”

“Just not too close,” Diablo says, narrowing his eyes at me.

“Think you can handle that?” Vapor skewers me with a look.

“Yeah. No pussy’s worth it if it means the club gets fucked too.”

“True that.” Bones grins.

“So, we’re in agreement. Proceed cautiously and keep your dick in your pants,” Vapor says.

“I can do that,” I say, trying to convince him as much as I’m trying to convince myself. Normally, I don’t have a problem keeping my dick in check, but now it seems to have a mind of its own. At least where Isabella is concerned. Stupid dick!

“Anything else we got to cover?” Vapor asks.

A chorus of “no’s” later, he adjourns Church.

Walking into the kitchen, all I can think about is Isabella. You don’t see a body like that often. That’s got to be why I’m so fucked up over her. Maybe I need to get laid. Soon. Too badall the club sluts are gone and the clubhouse isn’t ready yet. The sooner we get more chicks lined up, the better. That’s the only way I’m going to be able to keep my hands off the enemy. I have to keep thinking of her that way, because that’s all we’ll ever be.

Chapter 4: Isabella

The air is thick with the acrid tang of chemicals as I watch the workers chop at the white powder with a precision born of fear. They move like clockwork, their hands blurring in routine monotony, and yet the atmosphere is stifling, oppressive. The only sound that breaks the silence is the constant scrape of metal on metal.

“Pedro,” I call out, my voice cutting through the drone, “why do they only get five minutes for lunch?”

Pedro looks up from his clipboard, his eyes weary under the fluorescent lights. “It’s Juan’s decision,” he replies with a shrug.